Korps Kommandotropen
Active	March 22, 1942 - Present
Country	NL
Allegiance	Netherlands
Branch	Army
Role	Special Operations Force
Motto	"Nunc aut Nunquam" - "Now or Never"
Colors	Black with Dark Green Border
Anniversaries	March 22

The Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) is a unit of the Royal Netherlands Army and part of the special forces of the Netherlands. While it is approximate in size and composition to one of the standard infantry battalions, its role is significantly different. The KCT forms part of the Dutch military's special forces, with emphasis on special operations. These can be divided into special reconnaissance, offensive actions, direct action, military assistance and collateral activities. A few examples of special operations are patrol and reconnaissance missions, attacking enemy targets through ambushes, raids, and/or sabotage. The rescue of civilians and/or servicemen and counter-terrorism in crisis areas, final guidance of laser-guided ammunition and evacuation are part of the tasks. The KCT also has been tasked to give special military assistance to allied forces or to other units of the Royal Netherlands Army, Air Force and Navy. Because of its unique role, it serves as an independent unit, not directly attached to the four large brigades that make up the main part of the army. Image File history File links Korps_commandotroepen_baretembleem. ... March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in leap years). ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... The Netherlands (Dutch Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch. ... Special forces or special operations forces is a term used to describe relatively small military units raised and trained for reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and special operations. ... The Royal Netherlands Army (Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land forces element of the Military of the Netherlands. ... Special forces or (sometimes colloquially and incorrectly) special operations forces (general term) are military units formed and trained to conduct missions of unconventional warfare, counter-terrorism, reconnaissance, direct action, and foreign internal defense. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of between two and six companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. ... Special forces or (sometimes colloquially and incorrectly) special operations forces (general term) are military units formed and trained to conduct missions of unconventional warfare, counter-terrorism, reconnaissance, direct action, and foreign internal defense. ... Special forces or special operations forces is a term used to describe relatively small military units raised and trained for reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and special operations. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... Direct action is a form of political activism which seeks immediate remedy for perceived ills, as opposed to indirect actions such as electing representatives who promise to provide remedy at some later date. ... An ambush is a long established military tactic in which an ambushing force uses concealment to attack an enemy that passes its position. ... Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction. ... Counter-terrorism refers to the practices, tactics, and strategies that governments, militaries, and other groups adopt in order to fight terrorism. ... Beam-riding guidance leads a missile to its target by means of radar or a laser beam. ... Emergency evacuation is the movement of persons from a dangerous place due to the threat or occurrence of a disastrous event. ... The Royal Netherlands Army (Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land forces element of the Military of the Netherlands. ... Image:Flag of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. ... Flag of the Royal Netherlands Navy Royal Netherlands Navy Jack The Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy ) is the navy of the Netherlands. ... Brigade is a term from military science which refers to military echelon under a division, above a regiment where that exists as such, nowadays often a group of several battalions (typically two to four), and directly attached supporting units (normally including at least an artillery battery and additional logistic support). ...

KCT is the biggest special operations force of the Netherlands alongside the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. It has a professional reputation, because of the severe training that its members had to complete. The Corps was formed during the Second World War as 'the Dutch troop' and participated at the landings during D-Day. Special forces or special operations forces is a term used to describe relatively small military units raised and trained for reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and special operations. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ...

Training

The training consists of two periods that last for a total of 26 weeks. The first period is called the "elementaire commando opleiding" (basic commando training). During this part of the training physical and mental heavy training takes place which includes, among other things, the field service Special Reconnaissance and Escape and Evasion training. It lasts fourteen weeks and after succesfully completing this training the participants will receive the Green Beret.[1] In military science, the term commando can refer to an individual, a military unit or a raiding style of military operation. ...

The second period is called "Individuele Functie Opleiding Speciale Operaties" (advanced commando training). This advanced training is geared towards the preparation of the commandos for missions out in the field. Vehicle driver's training, Combat Life Saver, free fall parachute training (e.g. HALO and HAHO), field services Direct Action and Urban Terrain fall under the advanced training. In the final ten weeks of training each commando will be additionally trained as a sniper, a medic, a communication specialist and/or a demolition specialist irrespective of any previous specialisations.[2] In military science, the term commando can refer to an individual, a military unit or a raiding style of military operation. ... Look up halo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... HALO/HAHO is a term used by the United States armed forces to describe a method of delivering personnel, equipment, and supplies from a transport aircraft at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion. ...

Operations

The commandos have been known to operate recently in Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Liberia. Typical missions include force-protection; hunting for war criminals, terrorists and taliban; providing terminal guidance for laser-guided bombs; evacuation of non-combattants.

External links

• Korps Commandotroepen Homepage (in Dutch)
• Korps Commandotroepen Homepage (in English)